I don’t know why roofed bikes and bike-caravans have appealed to me so much for years. They are expensive and take up a lot of space at home. I probably won’t buy one. And yet I’m always looking to see what’s new in this area.
They would be handy in spring and autumn. So here’s my list which velomobiles are available with a roof:
- Quadvelo https://www.quadvelo.com/
- Podbike https://www.podbike.com
- BAYK https://bayk.ag/newsticker/
- Onomotion https://onomotion.com/blog/
- Citkar https://www.mubea-umobility.com/insights/blog
- Hopper https://hopper-mobility.com/
And which may be ready for series production in 2025:
- ELF https://organictransit.com/ (Study according to “Das MÖ”)
- Pedilio https://www.pedilio.de/
- iris https://www.grantsinclair.com/product-page/iris-etrike-electric-vehicle
- Twike https://twike.com/
- Veemo SE https://veemo.ca
In my opinion, it would be enough for a cargo-bike manufacturer to offer an optional roof like the one built by “Ekki Mobil”. (picture in title) A cargo-bike with a box at the front would be ideal. It would also be much cheaper than any of the velomobiles listed above. What do you think about it?
That looks like it would be hell to pedal in any kind of headwind!
Electric motors can help with that :)
With a headwind, sure. But with a crosswind, you can (accidentally) fly!
Any kind of breeze. FTFY
Can’t take your hands off the bars and lean back for a little bit of comfort and a stretch.
I feel like headwinds would be less of a problem than tacking into the wind.
Poor OP wants to talk about practical sheltered velocipedes and we won’t stop talking about the thumbnail photo.
I’m ok with this. Here ist the source for the thumbnail picture: https://youtu.be/yXujcmVfrJE
This is the kind of thing that really demands performance testing. It’s a lot of mass and expense. You just don’t know whether it pays vs a fully enclosed shell until you run the numbers.
Idk, raincoat?
Maybe a helmet with a facemask?
Honestly, I just wear safety glasses: clear when it’s cloudy or dark, tinted if it’s sunny. That takes care of rain/snow and bugs in my eyes, and a coat takes care of everything other than my face.
If you want to get fancy, you can also use a balaclava or a scarf. Helmets w/ facemask are bulky.
I use ski goggles currently for my winter rides, but I’ve been considering a helmet with facemask to integrate everything. But maybe it would be too bulky. There’s a lot of bulk with a balaclava, headband, hood (for wind blocking) and helmet already.
Just move to Portmeiron and you’ll get your own canopied penny-farthing.
